X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 15 Start/Sit: Monday Night Football Matchup Analysis

Michael Thomas New Orleans Saints

The Carolina Panthers (6-7) looked like a lock to make their second-straight postseason appearance a little over a month ago, but have since lost five-straight games and now find themselves outside of the club arguing with the bouncer over how they belong on the guest list. But, aren't. Conversely, the New Orleans Saints (11-2) have already clinched the NFC South division title and are playing for home field advantage, a first-round bye, and bragging rights. Bragging rights which took an interesting turn earlier in the week.

Including the victory in Wild Card weekend which ended the Panthers season, New Orleans won all three of their matchups with the Panthers a season ago. The sweep inspired defensive end Cam Jordan and some of his teammates to send Cam Newton a few "gifts" which included a broom. Funny, if you ask me, but Newton and the Panthers did not take the gesture lightly and have made it clear this week that the "disrespect" has not been forgotten.

This rivalry isn't likely to be mentioned among the fiercest in the NFL, but there is no love lost between these two and a disrespected, and even more desperate, Panthers team on one sideline adds even more fuel to the fire. Let's break down some of the fantasy football matchups from what should be an entertaining showdown between intra-division foes in the Week 15 Monday Night Football preview.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:

 

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers

Date and Start Time: Monday, December 17th at 8:15 p.m. EST
Game Spread: NO -6.5
Over/Under: 54

Offensive and Defensive Rankings (per game):

Saints Panthers
Passing Yards 11th 15th
Rushing Yards T-10th 2nd
Pass Defense 28th 20th
Run Defense 1st 7th

 

Must Starts

Top Players That You Should Have In Your Lineup

Drew Brees (QB, NO)

This season hasn't seen Brees put up the gaudy numbers of which we’ve grown accustomed, but he's been one of the most efficient quarterbacks and while efficiency does not always lead to fantasy points, a matchup against the Panthers should do the trick.

Brees is averaging just 166.3 passing yards over the Saints last three games, putting up more than 15 fantasy points just once over those three. The Saints offense has become run-centric, and frankly, Brees really hasn't had to do much. However, despite facing Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley, James Conner, and most recently, Nick Chubb the Panthers have held all but one running back they've faced (Tevin Coleman - Week 2) under 100 yards rushing while limiting the position to a mere 29 receiving yards per game as well. He may be required to do a bit more here. Playing away from the Superdome, outdoors, in December, isn't the most ideal of scenarios for Breesy, but a Panthers secondary which hasn't intercepted an opposing QB since Week 9 while squandering 274.8 passing yards a game with 11 touchdowns and an average of 21.5 fantasy points over those five definitely helps.

Christian McCaffrey (RB, CAR)

The Saints present a stiff test, arguably the stiffest test, but so too did the Steelers and Ravens which CMC stacked yards and TDs upon with relative ease. The Saints have allowed opposing RBs the fewest scrimmage yards this season while McCaffrey has gone over 100 scrimmage yards in six-straight and sits fifth among RBs at 125.2 per game. Something has to give, but seeing how McCaffrey is responsible for 13 of the Panthers 39 offensive TDs this season, he's simply too big of a factor in this offense to even consider benching.

Michael Thomas (WR, NO)

Like McCaffrey, Thomas has essentially been a one-man show for his Saints offense. His 28-percent target share leads the team and no other receiver has more than a 10-percent share. In fact, Alvin Kamara (21-percent) is the only other Saint who has more than a nine-percent target share in this offense. In other words, when Brees drops back to pass, Thomas finds himself on the other end quite often and he's very good at catching footballs.

 

Must Sits

Players To Avoid Putting In Your Lineup

Tre'Quan Smith (WR, NO)

Smith caught all three of his targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns in Week 5 against Washington. Week 11 saw him bring in 10 of 13 targets for 157 yards and a TD against Philly. That's 16 targets, 13 receptions, 268 yards, and three TDs in just two games. His other six appearances? 16 targets, nine receptions, 103 yards, one TD. Even more damning is the one target he's seen in each of the last two games - failing to bring in a pass in either. The boom potential obviously exists, and there's a chance he explodes for another huge game against a porous Carolina secondary which has allowed six 100-yard receivers. It just requires an ungodly amount courage to overlook the bust potential and put him in your fantasy lineup this week... An ungodly amount which I do not possess.

Devin Funchess (WR, CAR)

He's not likely remaining on many fantasy rosters, but just in case, I wouldn't recommend having him in your lineups this week.

Ian Thomas (TE, CAR)

Cameron Brate became the first tight end to put up double-digit fantasy points against the Saints defense in Week 14 and is now one of just two TEs to have found the end zone against them this season. Add to that New Orleans has held TEs to the second-fewest yards and fourth-fewest fantasy points, and you have a matchup which is probably best to be avoided.

Thomas received 11 targets last week after seeing five head his way in Week 13 -- bringing in 14 catches for 123 yards over this two-game stretch -- so the volume is tough to debate. However, it's worth noting that the Panthers last two opponents, Tampa Bay and Cleveland, are two of the league's worst against the position. Not to mention, Thomas provided rather pedestrian numbers in spell of Greg Olsen earlier in the season. Looking at the full scope, Thomas has averaged 30 receiving yards per game in seven appearances with zero TDs, and this tough matchup diminishes his appeal even further despite the recent output.

 

Solid Options/Sleepers

Which Players Will Have Solid Games and Which Could Surprise?

Solid Option - Cam Newton (QB, CAR)

New Orleans has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the quarterback position, the fifth-most passing yards per game, and nearly two passing TDs per contest. They've also picked up 24 sacks and seven interceptions over their last five games while limiting their opposition to 238.4 passing yards, six passing TDs, and 14.6 fantasy points per game. It's been a tale of two seasons, and while matchups definitely play a role in the discrepancy between the numbers, the Saints defense of recent weeks appears to be more in line with the unit we saw last season than the version we saw to begin this one.

Cam has struggled as of late -- throwing six INTs to just four TDs over his last three -- and has been visibly impacted by playing through a shoulder injury. Still, he'll remain a solid option weekly so long as he stands tall and runs fast due to his supreme athleticism and rushing ability. And a must-win game against a division rival creates a primed bounce back spot.

Solid Option - Alvin Kamara/Mark Ingram (RB, NO)

Kamara's talent and upside render him unbenchable, but his recent play combined with the matchup drops him into the low-end RB1/RB2 range this week. He's failed to find the end zone in three-straight games while accumulating less than 100 scrimmage yards in each of those contests to boot. Still, he's put up double-digit fantasy points in PPR formats in all but one game this season and in seeing nearly 20 touches every time he steps on the field, he's virtually guaranteed to put up numbers; regardless of matchup.

Ingram, on the other hand, hasn't been much of a factor in the passing game but has received double-digit carries in seven of his nine appearances this season. The Panthers have allowed just 75.5 rushing yards a game to opposing backs, but they've also allowed a rushing TD in five-straight games while giving up four yards per tote making Ingram a RB2/flex option (with upside) given his TD potential.

Solid Option - Curtis Samuel/D.J. Moore (WR, CAR)

New Orleans has allowed just two receiving TDs to the receiver position since Week 10, and again, present a tougher matchup than the numbers may suggest. However, both of these gentleman have seen at least eight targets in consecutive games while accounting for 54-percent of Newton's passing yards over that stretch. They've been productive despite the play of quarterback Cam Newton, so any improvement in that regard brings us to floors high enough to land them in the WR2/WR3 conversation.

Sleeper - Keith Kirkwood (WR, NO) 

Kirkwood is yet to catch more than three passes in a game this season, but has scored in two of the Saints last three games and appears to be the only viable WR option in this offense outside of Michael Thomas. He's a long shot, but a couple big plays and a touchdown are definitely within reason.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jordan Eberle1 hour ago

To Miss At Least Three Months
Matthew Knies1 hour ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Owen Power1 hour ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Friday
John Gibson2 hours ago

Busy In Overtime Loss
Connor Hellebuyck2 hours ago

Sharp in Friday's Victory
Kyle Connor2 hours ago

Tallies Two Points In Friday's Victory
Noah Fant10 hours ago

Questionable For Week 12, Update Coming On Saturday
Brock Purdy11 hours ago

Week 13 Status Uncertain
Kyle Finnegan12 hours ago

Nationals Non-Tender Kyle Finnegan On Friday
Dylan Carlson12 hours ago

Rays Non-Tender Dylan Carlson
Brendan Rodgers12 hours ago

Rockies Non-Tender Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill
Mike Yastrzemski12 hours ago

Avoids Arbitration With Giants
Jordan Romano13 hours ago

Blue Jays Non-Tender Closer Jordan Romano
Dustin May13 hours ago

Dodgers Sign Dustin May To One-Year Deal To Avoid Arbitration
Walker Kessler13 hours ago

Might Return To Action Saturday
Kyle Filipowski13 hours ago

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jordan Clarkson13 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Saturday
Miles McBride13 hours ago

Questionable To Face Jazz
Joel Embiid13 hours ago

To Remain Out On Sunday
Nikola Jokic13 hours ago

Returns To Action Friday
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope14 hours ago

No Longer On Injury Report
Wendell Carter Jr.14 hours ago

Considered Questionable For Saturday
Brady Singer14 hours ago

Shipped To Cincinnati
Jonathan India14 hours ago

Traded To Kansas City
Tre Mann14 hours ago

Listed As Out For Saturday
Torrey Craig14 hours ago

Available Versus Hawks
Nick Richards14 hours ago

Ruled Out For Saturday
Jarace Walker14 hours ago

Ready To Face Bucks
Ben Sheppard14 hours ago

Misses A Third Consecutive Game
Anfernee Simons14 hours ago

Returns To Action Friday
Ja Morant15 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Saturday
Jerami Grant15 hours ago

Ready For Action Friday
Marcus Smart15 hours ago

Questionable For Saturday
Deandre Ayton15 hours ago

Remains Out On Friday
Yves Missi15 hours ago

Will Not Play On Friday
Stephen Curry15 hours ago

Available Versus Pelicans
Scoot Henderson15 hours ago

Absent On Friday
Rashod Bateman16 hours ago

Added To Week 12 Injury Report
Vince Dunn16 hours ago

Could Be An Option For Kraken Next Week
TOR16 hours ago

Alexander Nylander Joins Maple Leafs On One-Year Deal
George Kittle16 hours ago

Cleared For Week 12
Jason Dickinson16 hours ago

Expected To Play On Saturday
Cam York16 hours ago

Expected To Return Saturday
San Francisco 49ers16 hours ago

Nick Bosa Won't Play Against Packers
Mason McTavish17 hours ago

Remains Out On Friday
Brock Purdy17 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Tage Thompson17 hours ago

Continues To Sit On Friday
Kevin Hayes17 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Friday
Kris Letang17 hours ago

Might Return On Friday
Ladd McConkey17 hours ago

Returns To Practice On Friday
CeeDee Lamb17 hours ago

Cleared To Play In Week 12
Sam LaPorta17 hours ago

Off The Injury Report, Cleared For Week 12
Jake Ferguson18 hours ago

Ruled Out With Concussion
DeVonta Smith18 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Brock Purdy18 hours ago

Not Seen At Friday's Practice
T.J. Hockenson18 hours ago

Expects To Be More Involved In Week 12
Alexander Mattison18 hours ago

Zamir White Doubtful To Face Broncos
Nico Collins19 hours ago

Set For Increased Workload Against Titans
Mike Evans19 hours ago

Officially Listed As Questionable
Malik Nabers19 hours ago

Questionable For Week 12, Intends To Play
Sam Darnold19 hours ago

Cleared For Sunday
D'Andre Swift19 hours ago

Gets Questionable Tag For Week 12
Keenan Allen20 hours ago

Lands On Injury Report, Questionable For Week 12
Isiah Pacheco20 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Shohei Ohtani21 hours ago

In Early Stages Of Recovery From Shoulder Surgery
Tabatha Ricci21 hours ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Yan Xiaonan22 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Muslim Salikhov22 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Chris Sale22 hours ago

To Have Normal Offseason
Garrett Crochet22 hours ago

Drawing Plenty Of Interest
Song Kenan22 hours ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Zhang Mingyang22 hours ago

Set For His Second UFC Fight
Ozzy Diaz22 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Macau
MacKenzie Weegar1 day ago

Notches Three Assists Against Rangers
Macklin Celebrini1 day ago

Tallies Two Assists In Thursday's Loss
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Comes Up With Three Assists Versus Blue Jackets
Sean Monahan1 day ago

Finishes Thursday's Win With Four Points
Zach Werenski1 day ago

Enjoys Career Night With Five Points Against Lightning
Jack Hughes1 day ago

Posts Three Assists Versus Hurricanes
Joonas Korpisalo1 day ago

Records 21-Save Shutout Versus Utah
Carlos Ulberg2 days ago

Looking To Cement Himself As A Title Contender At UFC Macau
Volkan Oezdemir2 days ago

Eyes Another Knockout At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes2 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Macau
MMA2 days ago

Cong Wang Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo2 days ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak At UFC Macau
Petr Yan2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Shohei Ohtani2 days ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge2 days ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Cody Bellinger2 days ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
2 days ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Chris Sale2 days ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal2 days ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat3 days ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English3 days ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin3 days ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy3 days ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Ludvig Aberg3 days ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim3 days ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy3 days ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole3 days ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
3 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers3 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
4 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri4 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
Charles Oliveira5 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler5 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva5 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo5 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy5 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop6 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig6 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal6 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic6 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Jauan Jennings - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Week 12 Wide Receiver Rankings for Fantasy Football: WR Updates Include Josh Downs, Quentin Johnston, Jauan Jennings, Calvin Ridley, Tank Dell

The wide receiver position is volitile, and WRs that aren't clear must-start studs are largley matchup dependent. If you need help with your start-or-sit calls ahead of the important Week 12 slate, we're here to assist with our NFL team's updated Week 12 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dig into the rankings […]


Anthony Richardson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL News

Week 12 Quarterback Rankings for Fantasy Football: QB Updates Include Anthony Richardson, Bo Nix, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, Jared Goff

Early in the 2024 NFL season, quarterbacks struggled in fantasy football due to a regression in passing productions. However, many are picking up steam in the second half of the year. Still, start-or-sit decisions remain difficult when comparing two similar QBs. We're here to help with our updated Week 12 fantasy football quarterback rankings for […]


Will Dissly - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, NFL Injury News

Week 12 Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football: TE Updates Include Will Dissly, Cade Otton, Zach Ertz, Jonnu Smith, Sam LaPorta, TJ Hockenson, Cole Kmet

It's make-or-break time for many fantasy managers, as the fantasy football playoffs are quickly approaching. Tight ends are always the toughest offensive position to navigate, so if you need help setting optimal lineups, you can come to the right place. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 12 fantasy football tight end rankings for […]


Cameron Dicker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups, Kickers, Streamers

Week 12 Kicker Rankings for Fantasy Football: Updates Include Austin Seibert, Justin Tucker, Jason Sanders, Chase McLaughlin, Wil Lutz, Jake Elliott

Whether you like it or not, kickers can differentiate between winning and losing fantasy matchups. With a critical week ahead, find the top available kicker option with our Week 12 fantasy football kicker rankings for the 2024 NFL season. Let's see where key kicker options like Jake Bates, Cameron Dicker, Jason Sanders, Chase McLaughlin, Wil […]


Jordan Love - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Week 12 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game

After some high-octane matchups over the last couple of Thursday nights, Week 12 kicked off in a more old-school fashion with a classic rivalry game between the Steelers and Browns played in the snow. There are some fun matchups on this Week 12 slate, however, "Bye-Mageddon" certainly does take a little of the sizzle away, […]


Chuba Hubbard - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 Fantasy Football Busts? Players Who May Disappoint Include D'Andre Swift, JK Dobbins, Tank Dell, Chuba Hubbard, Mark Andrews, Jakobi Meyers

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Week 12 fantasy football busts, or players who may disappoint for fantasy lineups this week. It's a strange week in the NFL with six teams taking their bye week. That could mean lineups are gridlocked and fantasy managers don't have the luxury of analyzing matchups to decide their starters. Potential […]


DeVon Achane - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Injury News

Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 12 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another start'em and sit'em piece as we look ahead to Week 12! There will be a whopping six teams on bye this week (Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets), so that means fantasy managers might need to look deeper on their benches. This Week 12 matchups […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Fantasy Football Running Back Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates for Isiah Pacheco, Josh Jacobs, D'Andre Swift, Alexander Mattison

Below is our fantasy football injuries report for running backs in Week 12, as of November 23. The injury statuses for various NFL running backs are up in the air for Week 12, including Isiah Pacheco, Josh Jacobs, D'Andre Swift, and Alexander Mattison. As the fantasy football season continues, every decision, transaction, and lineup change matters. […]


Kyren Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Buy Low, Sell High Week 12 Fantasy Trade Value Recommendations - Malik Nabers, Kyren Williams, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, more

Welcome to Week 12 of the NFL season, where the playoff race is heating up, and every decision counts more than ever. With the fantasy postseason just around the corner, this is the time to make strategic moves that can propel your team to a championship. Injuries, bye weeks, and fluctuating player performances are testing […]


DK Metcalf - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS and Betting Picks

Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 12 - DK Metcalf, Courtland Sutton, Jauan Jennings, Noah Brown, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Week 12 is here, and with it, another edition of WR Matchups to Target. Last week was one of our most successful of the season, with two home run DFS picks (3x multiplier on DraftKings salary) in Jauan Jennings and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to go along with two additional hits (2x multiplier). Week 12 brings a […]


DeVonta Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football WR Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates For Malik Nabers, Mike Evans, DeVonta Smith, Ladd McConkey

Six teams (Falcons, Bills, Bengals, Jaguars, Saints, Jets) take their bye week in Week 12. Injuries take away from the already depleted options fantasy managers have this week. To keep close tabs on all of the news across the NFL, make sure to favorite or bookmark the fantasy football player news page. Also, download the […]


Matthew Stafford - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Landmines to Avoid for Week 12 - Matthew Stafford, D'Andre Swift, Mark Andrews, and more

Week 12 in the fantasy football season is a critical juncture. With six teams on bye, options are slim, and managers must make savvy lineup decisions as the playoffs loom.  One misstep—a "landmine" starter who underperforms—could cost you a victory and potentially a playoff berth. This week, we spotlight five players who may look tempting […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates For Brock Purdy, CeeDee Lamb, Isiah Pacheco, George Kittle, Devonta Smith

We're down to the home stretch of the fantasy regular season, and with six teams (yes, six) on a bye this week, injuries are going to be an even bigger deal. Waiver wires and free-agent pickups are likely to be competitive with some lineup regulars on injury reports this week, including Brock Purdy, CeeDee Lamb, […]